Klarinet Archive - Posting 001063.txt from 2000/12

From: Neil Leupold <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Wlach the Nazi?
Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 19:28:00 -0500

Nothing in what you've written below provides verifiable proof that he was a
member of the Nazi party, or that his actions were reflections of direct sup-
port for Hitler and Nazi ideology. What is clear from your examples, i.e.;
doing the math, is that he was antisemitic. Antisemitism does not make some-
body a Nazi, even during the Nazi era. Perhaps you and others feel comfort-
able deducing a Nazi affiliation from anecdotal and circumstantial evidence,
but being a Nazi was much more than demonstrating a hatred for Jews. Like so
many throughout Germany, Austria, Poland, and the rest of the world, it may
never have occurred to Wlach to wonder what happened to Jews who were captur-
ed by Hitler's henchmen and sent to Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. It took a
long time -- years -- for neutral countries like Denmark to believe the reports
that were filtering across Europe, it seemed so unthinkable, much less determine
what to do about it (if anything). Might Wlach have been like the millions of
other antisemites throughout Europe, who would have checked their hatred for
Jews at the border between injury and death? I'm not merely playing devil's
advocate here. Additional discussion about Wlach's affiliation in this con-
text would be valuable (although perhaps better offline).

-- Neil

--- HatNYC62@-----.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 12/20/00 4:00:18 AM, klarinet-digest-help@-----.org
> writes:
>
> << What evidence do you have that Wlach was a Nazi? Not that I'm doubting
> your
> word; I would just like to know your source of information. >>
>
> I was wondering whether anyone would ever ask. When I was preparing to record
> some works by Rudolph Jettel (coprincipal clarinetist of the VSOO/VPO along
> with Wlach), I received a copy of a letter written by Jettel's widow from a
> former Jettel student. In the letter, she described the situation in Vienna
> during the Nazi era. She happens to be Jewish, and Jettel kept her hidden
> from the authorities. Wlach knew this, and was constantly trying to get
> Jettel to turn in his own wife!
>
> In addition, he would not let Viktor Polotschek (former principal clarinetist
> of the VSOO/VPO, then with Boston) sit in with the orchestra during a visit
> to Vienna. Polotschek was Jewish, do the math. When Polotschek showed up at
> the rehearsal, Wlach made a very obnoxious anti-semetic comment to him
> (remember, these two men had been colleagues in the orchestra only a few
> years before).
>
> In addition, when Felix Galmir (great violin pedegogue and former VSOO/VPO
> member. . .Jewish) joined the orchestra, he was harassed by the Nazi members,
> including Wlach. In the NY Times obituary for Galimir last year, an incident
> was mentioned where the "principal clarinetist" of the orchestra was heard to
> ask "Galimir, have you eaten your matsos today?" during the silence before a
> concert. That clarinetist had to be Wlach, it certainly could not have been
> Jettel!
>
> Mrs. Jettel claims Wlach was actually a member of the SS, I have not been
> able to independantly confirm this, but I have no reason to doubt it is true.
> In any case, before the anschluss, there were 25 or so members of the
> VSOO/VPO who were Jewish, including the concertmaster. All were expelled and
> many died in concentration camps. It's a chapter in the orchestra's history
> that is often conveniently overlooked.
>
> Sorry for being such a crab during this festive time of year! I have
> actually been in a pretty good mood.
>
> David Hattner, the spirit of the holidays, New York style!
>
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